This story reminded me of something that was in the news a couple of weeks ago. Some low-level politician in Hokkaido (the northernmost island of Japan) started a controversy by tweeting comments that the Ainu (the indigenous people of Hokkaido) no longer exist. Here’s one story about it in English (from Asahi): “Sapporo assemblyman criticized for denying the existence of Ainu”. And here’s a Vox Populi, also from Asahi, about the topic.